NRAO: Chapter 368/369

Chapter 368

Outside Iwagakure, a dense crowd of people stood gathered.

With Kumogakure having announced its surrender, Orochimaru naturally mobilized all his forces here.

So, present here were not only the tailed beasts and the clone army but also representatives from other villages. Yahiko stood as the representative of Amegakure, while Tsunade represented Konohagakure.

It could be said that various forces of the ninja world had converged in this place.

The nuclear bomb-like explosion just moments ago had been a Tailed Beast Bomb, unleashed by the Nine-Tails under Orochimaru's orders simply for amusement.

In truth, Orochimaru could have easily crushed any village with his own strength, especially when supported by the Akatsuki and the tailed beasts.

The reason he involved Tsunade was merely to have more people available for governance and administrative work after their inevitable defeat.

Otherwise, to ensure smoother control, Orochimaru might have resorted to extreme methods, such as the large-scale execution of enemy shinobi.

After all, as Orochimaru once told Tsunade: only through death can one eliminate the risk of betrayal.

From Iwagakure, Ōnoki flew out with his son Kitsuchi and a group of guards, his face pale with shock as he gazed at the formidable army before him.

He had anticipated this moment, but the sheer size of the force and the obedient tailed beasts still caught him off guard.

As the distance closed, Orochimaru's pale face and long, flowing hair came into view.

"Orochimaru… as expected, you're the one standing at the top in the end," Ōnoki said, his tone heavy.

The moment he had tried and failed to kill Orochimaru, barely escaping with his life, Ōnoki had foreseen this outcome.

"No need for small talk." Orochimaru's lips curved into a faint smile. "You know the situation. So, Ōnoki… will you fight or surrender?"

The question was blunt, leaving no room for ambiguity. The decision was Ōnoki's to make.

"Do I even have a choice?" Ōnoki replied with a bitter smile.

Orochimaru had mastered Edo Tensei, commanded an army of clones, and controlled all nine tailed beasts.

With his Six Paths-level strength and the Akatsuki's combat power at his disposal, who could hope to stand against him?

Certainly not Iwagakure.

The image of Orochimaru easily dismantling his Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu remained vivid in Ōnoki's mind.

"You're right." Orochimaru's voice remained casual. "Death might not frighten a Kage, but knowing your decisions led to your village's destruction… That's a weight no Kage wants to bear."

"Indeed." Ōnoki's eyes darkened. "But before I surrender, Orochimaru, I want to ask one thing."

"Go ahead."

"What do you intend to do with Iwagakure?"

"Sorry, but I can't answer that. It's a decision for you to make."

"For us to decide…?"

"Precisely. Since you've agreed to surrender, I'll be straightforward." Orochimaru paused briefly. "In a month, a summit will be held in the Land of Iron. The Kage and leaders of every village are expected to attend."

"I see… Then I'll be there," Ōnoki said with resignation.

"Good. Let's go."

With that, Orochimaru gave a simple gesture, and his vast forces began withdrawing in an orderly fashion.

Nagato had once sought to use the tailed beasts to resurrect the Ten-Tails and subdue the world through fear.

Now, Orochimaru had achieved the same feat but with far greater power.

He had captured all nine tailed beasts, commanded both the clone army and the Edo Tensei army, and held the full strength of Konoha as his foundation.

Faced with such an overwhelming force, the other villages had no choice but to surrender.

The news of Iwagakure's surrender soon spread like wildfire across the ninja world.

With all five great villages submitting to Konoha's dominance, the next step was to decide how this new world order would be governed.

To that end, Orochimaru had arranged the upcoming Kage Summit.

This was not a typical Gokage Kaidan (Five Kage Summit).

It was, in fact, a global ninja summit, heralding the dawn of a unified shinobi world.

The meeting was scheduled for September 1, Year 53 of the Konoha Calendar, in the Land of Iron.

Why choose the Land of Iron?

Because it was the only nation that had consistently remained neutral throughout the ninja world's conflicts. Orochimaru needed a third-party witness to legitimize the meeting's outcome.

The Land of Iron, with its perpetually snowy climate, was governed by samurai rather than shinobi. Its culture, authority, and military strength remained independent from the villages of the ninja world.

Mifune, the leader of the Land of Iron, would serve as the summit's presiding official.

In the past, Kage summits had been called only in times of major disputes or critical decisions.

But this time, attendance was mandatory.

Two historical summits stood out in memory.

The first was the initial Gokage Kaidan, attended by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.

At that summit, Hashirama had proposed the equal distribution of tailed beasts among the great nations to maintain balance and prevent war.

While initially skeptical, the other Kage were eventually moved by Hashirama's sincerity, and the agreement brought a temporary end to the era of constant warfare.

The second was the summit before the Fourth Great Ninja War, called by the Fourth Raikage after believing Sasuke had killed Bee.

That summit had originally been intended to demand accountability from the other Kage for harboring Akatsuki's rogue ninjas.

However, Obito's sudden appearance and declaration of war turned the meeting's focus toward forming the Allied Shinobi Forces.

This time, however, the summit was not convened out of conflict or necessity.

It was Orochimaru's declaration of a new world order.

While the notice came from Konoha, the true mastermind was Orochimaru. His goal was clear: the complete and irreversible unification of the ninja world.

As the days passed, villages hurried to make preparations.

Ten days before the summit, Kage from the various nations began traveling to the Land of Iron, each accompanied by their most trusted guards.

They all understood one thing:

This summit would bring about an earth-shaking transformation to the world as they knew it.

_____
Chapter 369

The Five Kage Summit traditionally requires one Kage and two guards per village.

However, in the current situation, such formalities have become irrelevant.

After all, Orochimaru has attained the power of the Rikudō (Six Paths). Against him, genjutsu, ninjutsu, and taijutsu are meaningless.

Unless one wields the same power, they aren't even qualified to harm him.

So, regardless of how many guards each Kage brings, they would be nothing more than decorations.

In light of these circumstances, a "one Kage, one guard" arrangement was adopted for the summit.

The Land of Wind

The sun blazed mercilessly, casting waves of heat through the air. The wind carried sand across the village entrance, forming swirling clouds of dust.

Standing at the gate and looking back at the shinobi of Sunagakure, Rasa couldn't help but sigh.

No wonder the village was utterly helpless against Orochimaru. Aside from himself, was there anyone here with decent combat abilities?

Even when choosing his bodyguard, Maki had been the only viable candidate.

Not much of a choice.

What about Chiyo?

How could he possibly bring an elderly woman to serve as his bodyguard?

"Maki, let's go."

"Yes, Kazekage-sama!"

"Be careful on the road, Kazekage-sama!"

"Captain Maki, safe travels!"

Maki waved dismissively. "All right, head back!"

Maki was an elite jōnin of Sunagakure, trusted by Rasa and known for his strategic prowess. He was a crucial figure for the Land of Wind.

As Rasa walked away from the village, Maki followed closely behind.


---

For the Kazekage, Rasa brought Maki.

The Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, traveled with his son, Kitsuchi.

The Raikage, A, brought along the white-haired Darui.

The Mizukage, Terumi Mei, was accompanied by the one-eyed Ao.

As the summit day drew near, these figures began arriving one after another in the Land of Iron.

The Land of Iron

Snowflakes drifted gently from the sky, covering the ground in a thick, white blanket. The air was frigid, and silence filled the atmosphere.

Surprisingly, the first Kage to arrive wasn't the Hokage, despite Konoha's proximity. Instead, it was Rasa of Sunagakure, who had departed earliest.

Standing at the gate of the Iron Fortress, Maki, unaccustomed to such cold weather rubbed his arms and sneezed loudly.

"So cold! The climate here is the complete opposite of ours!"

A man stood at the gate, an older figure with his head wrapped in bandages, accompanied by two guards. Hearing Maki's complaint, he responded in a calm, steady voice:

"I've been waiting for you. I am Mifune, General of the Land of Iron."

Despite his long beard, Mifune looked sharp and alert.

"Thank you for receiving us."

Rasa adjusted the hood of his robe and greeted him with a calm expression.

"Please, come in and have some hot tea. Follow me upstairs."

Rasa nodded, and he and Maki followed Mifune into the fortress.

Outside, the snow continued to fall, turning the world into a sea of white.


---

Meanwhile, in the snow-covered woods, a pair of figures walked arm-in-arm. From a distance, they might have been mistaken for a couple out for a stroll. Behind them trailed a third figure, cloaked in a robe.

Orochimaru tilted his head upward to watch the snow. For a moment, he considered reciting a poem but realized he had long forgotten the verses he'd once memorized.

A sudden sneeze broke the silence.

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and turned to the woman beside him.

"Hmm? Did you catch a cold?" he asked, almost instinctively.

The question caught Tsunade off guard. Her heart warmed at his rare display of concern. She smiled and shook her head, pulling her robe tighter.

"No, just a bit of an itch in my nose."

Orochimaru nodded. "I thought so. With your physique, you shouldn't be affected by the cold."

Thanks to her sage body, illness was practically impossible. Besides, Tsunade was a medical ninja who knew how to care for herself. Getting sick under these circumstances would be absurd.

Tsunade leaned against Orochimaru's arm, smiling softly.

"You're right. By the way, Orochimaru… do you think this summit will really bring peace to the ninja world?"

Orochimaru's expression didn't change. "You already know the answer. There will always be conflict." He paused. "But with proper management, most wars can be prevented."

"Proper management, huh? Do you have any ideas?" Tsunade's eyes held a glimmer of hope.

Her respect for Orochimaru had grown significantly.

This man had forced the great villages into unconditional surrender.

Orochimaru shifted his gaze toward her, then smiled faintly.

"There's a way, but it takes time. If only…"

"If only what?"

Tsunade's curiosity was piqued. She turned to look at him, noticing his slightly dazed expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing… I was just thinking."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow but didn't press him. Instead, she turned around and waved at Uchiha Mikoto, who was following behind.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru's thoughts raced.

He had been about to say: If chakra didn't exist in this world, much of the conflict would disappear.

In his view, chakra gave individuals power beyond what ordinary people possessed. That power bred ambition, conflict, and war. If no one had chakra, there would be fewer reasons to fight, fewer opportunities to commit crimes.

Wasn't that precisely what Kaguya had attempted to do?

She had tried to absorb the world's chakra through the Shinju (Divine Tree), leaving herself as the sole wielder of that power. In theory, if she ruled over a world of powerless individuals, wouldn't peace naturally follow?

Was Kaguya a villain… or a misunderstood savior?

Perhaps she had recognized that distributing chakra among humanity would only cause chaos. Maybe her methods were radical, but her intentions… logical?

If that were true, then her philosophy directly opposed the teachings of the Rikudō Sennin.

Orochimaru exhaled slowly.

Why am I even thinking about this? Let's unify the ninja world first.

With that thought, he turned to Tsunade and abruptly pulled her into his arms.

Caught off guard, Tsunade tried to speak but found her lips sealed by a sudden kiss.

The cold air around them seemed to vanish in that moment, replaced by the warmth they shared.

"This… feels like our first time together."